Tutorial: Scout Badge Rosette Brooch

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Got some old Scout badges but don't know what to do with them? Why not reuse them by making one of these upcycled brooches? 

This is another tutorial that could potentially cost nothing (which is what it cost me!) particularly if you like to recycle old ribbon and findings.

Time needed: 15-20 minutes

You’ll need:

Scout badge

Broad ribbon (I used about 11" of 1-1.5" ribbon)

Brooch back

Needle & thread

Scissors

Multipurpose glue

Glue gun (optional)

Beads or similar (optional)

1. Make a couple of stitches in the end of the ribbon at one edge, leaving a couple of inches of thread at the beginning.

2. Stitch along the edge of the ribbon with a running stitch, gathering as you go.

3. At the back of the rosette, tie the ends in a knot with the loose thread you left in step 1.

4. Stitch along the two ends of ribbon (because they are on the back of the rosette, the stitches won’t show). If necessary, catch the outer corners of the ribbon with the last stitches so that they don’t show at the front and cut off any excess ribbon.

At this point, embellish your Scout badge if you are doing so. (I stitched a border of small faux pearls around one but any small and lightweight embellishment should work)

5. Cover the back of your Scout badge with multipurpose glue and stick to the front of the rosette. 

6. Sew or glue (using hot glue) the brooch back to the reverse. 

 A selection of Scout badge brooches + rosette brooches

The top left was embellished with beads; 

the purple brooch used thinner, more tightly-gathered ribbon.

Suggestions for alternatives: use buttons or similar in place of Scout badges; add in ribbon at the back for more of a trophy rosette look; gather together broader or thinner ribbon for a variation of looks, or pin another brooch to the centre of the rosette!